Twenty Thousand

Sounds like a big number, no?  Four syllables, five decimal places.  In 1976 the biggest salary bump I ever had was to $20,000 a year, when I got into the doit bidness.  Our first house cost a bit over that in 1972.

Why the focus?  Yesterday was my 20,000th day.  Seems like a mile marker that should be celebrated, or at least acknowledged.  Ok. It's been acknowledged.

Spent the day in the best way possible, driving Clan Schwoopie up to Christopher Creek and then Canyon Creek, on the Rim where the air is fresh and free.  We all oohed as the smell of the conifers wafted through the 'Burban.  The old place we used to have looks pretty smarmy, and several more were for sale.  Canyon Creek where we first camped in 1986 shows the ravages of the recent fires, but we had a lot of fun by the creek - who'd a guessed?

 

Pity

We have Gabe & Bella for the day, and what comes after lunch?  Ice Cream!! 

Gabe and I want Rocky Road, Bella wants baniwa.  I say to Gabe, If there were bananas in the vanilla, it'd be banananilla!  And if it was Nana's, it would be Nana'sbanananilla. 

He says, No, it would be Nana's banana vanilla.  I say, Right!  Nanabanananilla!  He looks at me with his serious look.  "Say ba-na-na, grampa" 

"Banana" 

"Ok, now say va-nil-la." 

"Vanilla!" 

"Ok, now say ba-na-na-va-nil-la." 

"Banananilla!!!" 

He gives me this sad, condescending sweet little smile  "It's hard, isn't it, Grampa?"  What a sweetie.

North Rim

Didn't sleep much at all as Larry's snoring sounds like someone trying to drown a Harley Davidson.  Grumpily awoke him about 7:30 and we motored down to the Glen Canyon Damn Information Center.  Major security.  Got frisked and patted down but was denied my request for a full cavity search.  Neat, informative tour of the damn, its history and power generation capabilities.  Then into Page for combination breakfast/lunch at drive-in - like we weren't going to get enough of the outdoors that day.

Gassed up and headed to the north rim, about 130 miles from Page, across some of the most desolate land in the country - reservation, naturally, and then an astonishing climb of about 1500 feet of elevation in less than two miles and boom we're in the tall pines.  Roads are immaculate and virtually deserted.  Got down to the north rim lodge, a gorgeous place with a huge south-facing sun room, climbed around a bit, and then took off for Point Final, a lesser known trek described as "1.9 miles each way and fairly easy".  LIARS.  Was really cool place, hanging out over the east rim, one other guy on the trail and that's it.  Found a USGS marker from 1903 stating that that particular rock was 7919 feet in elevation, and that there was a $250 fine for removing it.  Would almost be worth it.  No, no, no. No.

Now our feet hurt almost as bad as our butts, and it was getting dark and surprisingly cold, and we had a long ride back to beddy by.  It was long and it was hot and it was amazingly dark, so we did see a lot of meteors, but at 65 or 70 mph..

Got back to Page for a late dinner in the only place still open, and fell into bed, exhausted and aching about 11.  Not really looking forward to the long, hot ride back to Phoenix the next day.

Scooter Ride

So Ernie and I met at Larry's and we three headed northbound about 9.  I switched on the cruise control and leaned back to enjoy the ride up through Payson, Pine and Strawberry, around Lake Mary and eventually into Flagstaff as the thunderclouds piled up.  As we're pulling into Flag a torrential downpour hits.  We pull over under an overpass, Larry fishtailing a bit to pump up all our adrenalin, and Ernie, our erstwhile tour guide says It's only a couple miles to the pizza joint.  We press on for another half-hour in this driving rainstorm.  Ernie's sense of distance perhaps not what it once was.

Post-pizza Ernie headed back home, Larry and I headed toward Page, pulling in to the Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell ass-weary, dehydrated and exhausted, at about 5:30.  Dinner overlooking the lake, now down 121 feet and at 41% of capacity, and to bed.  Day one done.

Trippin'

Birthday dinner last night for K with Mohrs at Drinkwater's on Camelback.  Their meat is "wet aged" as opposed, I guess, to dry aged (?)  Waiter's explanation was only unsatisfactory part of the evening.  The New York Strip was the best steak I've ever had, and I've had a few.  Joint is pricey ($300 for the 4 of us, no wine) and too dark to read your menu, but man oh man, what food.

Finalized two fun outings with Lar.  Next week we'll ride our scooters 350 miles up to the north rim, which is several hundred feet higher than the south, and be in prime position for the Wed/Thurs meteor shower.  No accomodations available at the rim, so we'll work out of Page for two nights.  Took the 'Wing out this morning for the first time in six weeks.  What have I been thinking?  It was great.

Then the week of the 23rd he and I'll fly to Coeur d'Alene for two days of golf at my favorite course anywhere - bent grass fairways and a floating green http://www.cdaresort.com/floatinggreen.asp - and stay at the groovy resort Kris and I really enjoyed.  Was slogging around on the net, trying to get this arranged and had muddled along to the point where I had L & me in a converted school house cum bed & breakfast.  K pointed out that this would likely mean L trying to 'spoon' with me, as most B&B's have only one bed per room.  Uh oh.  K took over the planning with timely and astonishing results.  Separate beds, tee times, rental car, everything's perfect except she's not coming.  Something about a gig in LA.